The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1887-05-06

and no IL man WHO II quite capable Of cur
rying out o threat ! can't tell you anything
more about 1t, but want you to promise m,
to protect Bessie il any occasion for II shoult
arise ! do not know that it win, but 1,
might. VIII you promise" f @1
"Of conrse will; would do great dea
more than that II you asked me to, jess" b.
answered, tenderly, for now that she was 60
ing away he felt curiously drawn toward her
and was anxious to show it.
"Never mind me-" she said, with an impa
tient little movement. "Bessie Is sweet enough
and lovely enough to be looked after for her
own sake, should think"
Before he could say any more In came Bees.
sic herself, saying that the driver was wait.
ing, and they went out to see her sister of.
"Dont forget your PROMISE" Jess whis.
pered to him, bending down as he helped her
into the cart, no low that her lips almost
touched him and her breath rested for Sec
ond on his cheek like the ghost of a kiss.
III another moment the sisters had en-
braced each other, tenderly enough; the
driver had sounded once more on his awful
bugle, and away went the cart at full gallop,
bearing with it Jess, two other passengers
and her majesty's mails. John and Bessie
stood for moment watching its mad career,
as it went splashing and banging down the
struggling street toward the wide plains be-
yond, and then turned to enter the inn again
and prepare for their homeward drive. As
they did SO, an old Boer, named Hans Coetzee,
with whom John was already slightly &C.
quainted, came up, and, extending an enor-
mously big and thick hand, bid them "Gooden
dang" Hans Coetzee was q very favorable
specimen OF the better sort of Boer, and
really came more or less up to the ideal pict-
ure that is so often drawn of that simple
pastoral people," He was very large, stout
man, with fine open face and pair Of
kindly eyes. John, looking at him, guessed
that he could not weigh less than seventeen
stone, and he was well within the mark at
that.
allow are you, captein9" he said in English,
for he could talk English well. "and how do
you like the Transvaal2-must not call it
South African Republic now, you know, for
that's treason" and bis eyes twinkled merrily.
II like it very much, meinheer," said John.
"Ah, yes, It's a beautiful veldt, especially
about here-no horse sickness, no blue
tongue and good strong grass for the cat
tle And you must find yourself very snug
at ON (Uncle) Croft's there; it's the incest
QdN0 III Uuo uaSu1CUS WlUu Uuc OoCl ACLGS duO
all Not that hold with ostrches in this
vcldt; they are well enough in the Old Col
ony, but they won't breed here-at least, not
rs they should do. I tried them once aud
know; oh, yes, know"
ayes, it is a very fine country meinheer.
have been all over the world almost, and
never saw u finer"
"You don't say SO, now! Almighty, what
thing it is to have travelled! Not that l
should like to travel myself. think that the
Lord meant us to stop in the place he has
made for us. But it is a fine country, and
dropping his voice. think it is q finer
country than it used to be-"
"You mean that the veldt has got tame
"Nay. nay. mean that the land is English
now" he answered, mysterioungly, land
though dare not say SO among my volk,
hope that it will keep English. When was
was Republican, and it was good
in some ways, the republic. There was SO
little to pay in taxes, and we knew how to
MANAGE the black volS; but now I am Eng
lisa, 1 AN, English. know the English Gov
er.lment means good money and safety. and
u there isn't u raad assembly now, well,
what does IL lnatterl Almighty, how they
used TO talis tlare! -ciacE, clack, clacx!
Just lilo an old black koran species Of
bustard) at sunset. And where did they run
the wagon OF the republic to-Burgcrs and
those ID Hollander, Of his, and the rest
Of the,n7 Why, into the siuit--into o SLUT with
oeaty banks; and there it would have stopped
till now, or till tho food came down and
swept it away, if old Shepstone-ah! what
tongue that man has, and how fond he is of
the kinderchies !-Gittle children)-had not
come and pulled it out again. But look here,
,aptein, the voll round here don't think like
that. It's the 'verdomde Britisch gouvern-
nent' here and the 'verdomde Britisch
there, and 'bymakaars' (meet-
ngS here and 'bymakaars' there. Silly
1olk, they all run one after the |
,ther like sheep. But there it is, cap
elm, and l tell you there will be |
lighting before long, and then our people |
viii shoot those poor rooibaatjes (red Jackets |
# yours like buck and take the land back.
Poor thingsl / could weep when think
# It,"
John smiled at this melancholy pvognosti-
alton, and was about to explain what poor
how all the Beers in the TrInsvaal would
make in front Of few British regiments
When he was astonished by sudden change
n his friends manner. Dropping his enor-
nous paw on to his shoulder, Coetzee broke
nto burst of somewhat forced merriment.
he cause of which was, though John did not
less it at the moment, that he had just per-
eived Frank Muller, who was in Walker
troom with's wagon load of corn to grind
t the mill, standing within five yards, and
pparently intensely interested in Tipping
the flies with cowrie made Of the tail Of
vilderbeeste, but in reality listening to
,oetzee's talk with all his ears
ala, hal 'ner" nephew), said old Coetzee
, the astonished John, mo wonder you like
are other moot pretty)
lings there besides the water. How often
0 you opsit (sit up at night with Uncle
rofts pretty girl, ehl I'm not quito as
lind as an ant bear yet. I saw her blush
hen you spoke to her just now. saw her.
1ell, well, it is a pretty game for young
an, isn't it, 'nef' Franks" this was adj
,essed to Muller). an be bound the cap
in here burns "a long candle with pretty
essie every night-eh, Frank 1 hope you
MT jealous, 'nef'i My vrouw told me some
me ago that you were sweet in that di-
ction yourself" and he stopped at last, out
breath, and looked anxiously toward Null 6
r for an answer, while John, who had been !
mewhat overwhelmed at this flow of bu- ;
lie chaff, gave a sigh Of relief. As for I
ulier he behaved in a curious manner In !
= - H. s1lI IL l. = 4